Mixing apparatus



March 3, 1931. G. w. HOPKINS MIXING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 31, 1927 March 3, 1931.

e. w. HOPKINS MIXING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 3, 1931 i c v GEORGE w; jnoririn's;oF-oLEvELenn,oHIo 1 I Mi'xnvcr APPARATUS. j v I Application filed August 31, 1927. Serial No.. 216,5 57.

This invention relates to an apparatus for under pressure into the mixture, which not mixing-solutions and has for its principal obonly efiects the discharge of asuflicient quanje'c't the provision of an apparatus" for thortity but thoroughly agitates the mixture,

' oughly and elficiently'miz'ring barimnsolution Another object of the inventionis to proor the like used in connection with Home vide means for thoroughly agitating the 55' genologists' work. c c mixture in the storagetank by subjecting I-n thetaking of X-rays and the like, his the mixture to two co nteracting forces com-j customary to administer to the patient under prising airunfder pressure injected in one observation an opaque drink, that is, opaque direction into the mixture while themixture to the X -r'ays, which will afiior'd a good conwhich is forced past the'dis'charge nozzle is 60" tras't at the points in the digestiyetract when returned to the storage tank with sufficient" internally coated by this, opaque solution. 'force to th roughly agitate the mixture The opaque solutions usually employed are upon coming in c'ontacttherewith. i c barium, bismuth, et'c.,an'd are necessarily of With the objects above indicated and much greater densitythan,thewater, malted other objects hereinafter explained in view, 65 milk, or other vehicle with which they are my invention consists. in the construction mixed to enable the patient to more easily and combination of elements hereinafter de- 5 swallow the mixture, and, as a result of the scribed and claimed. density of the barium, considerable a itation Referring to the drawings p i r is requ'ired to obtain'a thorough mixture. Fig. l is a front elevational View ofthe 70 7 To insure that some ofthe barium will ad, apparatus embodying my invention. 1 hereto the tissues with which it c'omes'in'co'n- Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the tact, it is necessary to further employ some same. i s

. tenacious ingredient, such as acacia or other Q Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of mucilaginous substance, which mustb'e thor the cam actuated air valve. oughly mixed with the bariunds'olution so Fig'. 4 is a transverse sectional viewon thata suficient part ofthe mixture will cause line l4: of Fig. 1. v 1 acoating to be formed upon those" portions of Fig. 5 is a top plan viewof the apparatus. the digestive tract which it is desired to Figs. 6, 7, 8 and Qarea seriesjof views'of X-rlay'. H I i the compression tanks'showing the position 80 Where many such examinations are made i of the valve'scwhen one'ofthe tanks is being. continuously it is a matte'r'or consequent im discharged and the others. filled with the" portance that some inexpensive but efficient mixture from the storage tank; means'beprovided whereby this mixturewill Fig. 10 is across sectional view on line' be thoroughly agitated and with very little 1010 of Fig; 1 showing'the discharge ris- S5 delay, and it is an object of the present inveners and the delivery pipe on an enlarged tion, therefore, to provide an agitating appascale.-

ratus which will efficiently meet these require= F llis a fragmentary sectional view of V 1 one of the risers showing in detail the valve.

ments. V c It is a further object ofthe presentinven- Fig. 12 is atop plan View of the weighted Se tion to provide an apparatus of the type re valves in the top of each compression tank. ferred to in which the agitation of the mix- 'Fig. 13 is a cross sectional'view taken on ture is automatically controlledand effected line11313 of Fig. 12. V by actuation of the barium discharge mecha The apparatus to be described comprises nism. v a barium mixture storage tan'kQO, prefer- It is a further object of the invention toably of metal and of any desired size, which provide means for receiving predetermined hasa cover 21 securely fastened to the upper quantities-of barium mixture and causing the portion of the storage tank. The cover, '21 I discharge of the mixture through the disis provided. with rectangularlyshaped charge nozzles by admitting;periodically, air opening 22 centrally positioned which. is x e 49 in the air supply pipe 50 is also inorma lly closed, and that when the operating-lever 48 moves =thevalve 46 to openjposition for permitting withdrawal .of the barium solution within the measuring portion 45, the valve 49 is automatically opened, which permits the discharge of air under pressure through the air supply pipe 50 and to one of thecome pression tanks. A suitable pressure gauge 51 is connected to the air supply pipe 50 by a pipe 52 for indicating the amount ofpressure in the line.

The upper ends of theair inlet pipes'3'3, 34, 35 and 36 communicating with their respective compression tanks are connected to the air supply pipe 50 individually through independently actuated'valves connected by pipes 53 to the air supplyrpipe 50, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The valves for 'controllingthe quantity of air under pressure supplied to each of the compression tanks'comprises a valve casing 54 having an inlet opening 55 adapted to receive theenol of one of the pipes 53 communicating with the air supply pipe 50 and a laterally extending outlet opening 56 to which is suitably connected one of the air delivery pipes leading to the compression tanks. In the upper portion of the valve casing 54 is secureda valve-seat 57 with which engages 'a valve .58 normally held inclosed position by a spring 59 encircling a depending valve rod 60, the construction and arrangement of which is clearly shown in Fig. 3. The portion of the valve rod 60*that extends through the lower portion of the valve casing 54 is secured in placeby agland nut 61 which also forms. a oint for preventing the escape of air around the valve rod 60. It will, therefore, be readily seen that when the valve 58 is removed from its seat 57 by an-upward pressure on the valve rod 60, airunder pressure within'the pipe 50 will be permitted to flow past the valve andthrough one of the air supply pipes leading to .the compression tanks in the lower portion of the storage tank 20. Inasmuch as there are four of these valves employed, one controlling the passage of compressed air to each of the air supply pipes 33, 34, 35 and 36, upon the opening of one of the valves the air under pressure will be permitted to freelyvfiow intothe compression tank associated with that particular valve. I

It is desirable, of course,to admit air .under pressure from the line 50 to only one of the compression tanks at a jtimeso that the barium solution within the compression tank to which the air is admitted is -forced upwardly to the :pointofdischarge to thereby supply of the'barium solution.

It is desirable, of course, to actuate these valves automatically and at predetermined intervals, and I, therefore, provide preferably ,a horizontally extending cam shaft 62' rotatably supported in bearings 63 secured upon a support 64 supported'on the pipes cam shaft is rotated through suitable gearing69 from amotor 67 suitably connected to any source of supply and secured to the support-64. The ratio of the gears 69 should be such that the cam shaft is rotated at a very slow speed with respect to the speed of the motor so that the valves are main tained in-open position for a predetermined lengtlrof time sufficient to permit a quantity'of .air under pressure to pass through the valve and into the compression tank with which that valve is associated. The valves maybe secured to a bracket '68 which is suitablyconnected to the support 64.

It should be noted that while the motor 67zis being, operated which actuates the cam shaft so as. to successively open each valve,

no air from the airsupply plpe 50jfiows' through the valves and subsequently to their respective compression tanks unless the operating lever 48 for drawing off the barium mixtureis moved so as to open the dlscharge valve 46 inasmuch as the valve 49 control.- ling the flow of air under pressure through the supply pipe 50 isdirectly associated with and controlled by the discharge valve 46. No agitation of the barium solution within the storage tank 20 takes place, therefore, except at such'time as the valve 49 in. the

air supply pipe 50is moved to open position jointly with the opening of the discharge valve 46.

In theoperation of the apparatus, assum-. ing that the storage tank .20 has been filled of one of the valves, and by merely opening 1 thedischarge valve 46 by the operating-lever 48' so as to withdraw some of the barium solution from one of the compression tanks,

the one associated with the valve which is being opened the valve 49 inthe air supply line 50 is opened, which permits the 'flow' of air under pressure through the pipe. 50, v

through one of the pipes 53 and through the opened valve and through the air inlet pipe.

associated with the opened valve, and one i one of the discharge risers into the discharge pipe 41 and through the dlscharge opening 47 the control valve 46 of which has been previously opened, into any suitable receptacle such as a glass or tumbler.

By the time the cam shaft has rotated so as to move the cam '66 out of engagement'with the valve heretofore referred to, the air is cut oil from that valve leading to the compression tank which has just been substantially emptied, and the next valve associated with another one of the compression tanks is opened to permit the discharge of air through the said valve to its associated compression tank where the same operation as previously described occurs. So long as the air valve 49 is maintained in open position compressed air is supplied to the compression tanks in succession, and barium solution is discharged by these tanks in succession into the delivery passage 41, so that a continuous flow of solution from the discharge opening 47 is available, the excess solution over that withdrawn from opening 47 returns to storage tank 20 through the open passage 42. Rotation of the cam shaft 62 causes the air supply lines leading to the compression tanks to be closed in suc:

cession, and after the shutting oil of the air supply to a particular compression tank, the

flow of solution from that tank ceases, and

the tank is again filled by solution from the storage tank 20 entering the compression tank through the openings 29 in the bottom there of, and through the opening 31 in the top thereof.

The pressure existing in the compression tank, after the air supply to that tank has been cut off, causes solution to continue to flow out of the compression tank into the delivery passage 41, gradually reducing the pressure in the compression tank to the point where the weighted valve 32 will open and relieve whatever pressure remains in the compression tank, whereupon the valves 30 also open, and solution then enters the compression'tank through the openings 29 and 31. This continued flow of solution from the compression tank, after the air supply to that tank has been cut oil, may be opposed in some instances by the column of liquid in the clelivery passage 41, and in some instances may be assisted by the siphoning effect produced by the flow of solution out of the other tanks of the compression tank so long as the pres sure within the compression tank, tending to unseat the valve 44, is greater than the pressure in the delivery passage 41 tending to seat thevalve 44. This flow. or solution need not continue until the pressures referred to have actually equalized, because when the pressure in the compression tank has been sufiiciently reduced, the heavily weighted valve 32 opens by gravity and allows the air contained in the compression tank to escape into the solution withinthe storage tank 20, resulting in agitating the solution to aconsiderable extent. The solution within the storage tank 20 is further agitated by means of the overflow of barium solution past the discharge nozzle 47 and back into the storage tank 20 through the overflow discharge end 42. This solution is ejected with such force that when it comes in contact with the solution within the storage tank 20 it also causes a thorough agitation of the latter.

' It will be noted, therefore, that only upon the opening of th discharge valve 46 for pas-.

sage of the barium solution into a suitable glass or tumbler will the air under pressure in,

the air supply pipe 50 be free to flow through one of the valves which is opened and into its associated compression tank for forcing the solution within that tank upwardly through the discharge nozzle 47 and that so long as discharge valve 46 remains closed the valve 49 in the air supply pipe 50 also remains closed, thereby preventing the tree passage of air under pressure to the compression tanks.

To further assist in raising the barium solution from the compression tanks to the discharge nozzle when in opened position, 1 provide a plurality of compressed air jets in the delivery pipe41 communicating with the compression tanks, 'whichnot only assist in raising the solution to the discharge point but also cause further aeration of the solution. V s

To empty the tank of the barium solution when it is desired to cleanse the tank, the air inlet valve 49 is opened and the air is permitted flow into the interior of the storage tank 20. At the same time, a valve 71 communicating with the delivery line 41 and an overflow pipe 72 is opened by means of an operating lever 73 and the solution within the storage tank 20 is forced up through the delivery pipe 41 and out through the valve 71 through the discharge pipe 72. /Vhen the solution has been suiliciently removed, the air valve 49 and the valve 71 are againclosed and water is introduced into the storage tank 20 through a discharge pipe 74 secured in the upperportion or" the'storage tank 20. This discharge pipe'is connected to a water supply pipe 7 5 communicating with any suitable source of water supply, which water supply is controlled by means of a manually operated valve 7 6. When the water within the storage tank 20 rises to thedischarge' opening 77 in the upper portion of the storage tank 20, the overflow is carried off by way ofspirit of the invention as defined in the ap-' pended claims.

Having thus claim:

1. In an apparatus of the type referred to, a storage tank adapted to contain a quantity of solution, a plurality of measuring tanks Within said storage tank, means for admitting said solution to said measuring tanks, outlets from said measuring tanks, a discharge member associated with said outlets, an air supply line, means for controlling the flow of air actuated by said discharge member, and means for successively'admitting the air to said measuring tanks to agitate the solution therein and create a pressure for forcing said solution through said discharge member,

2. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a fluid storage tank, an auxiliary tank within said storage tank, valve means for admitting fluid to said auxiliary tank from said storage tank, a discharge passage leading from said auxiliary tank, means for supplying air to said auxiliary tank for forcing fluid through said discharge passage,and means for controlling the sup ply of air to said auxiliary tank, said. valve means being located adjacent the top of said auxiliary tank and weighted to open described my invention, I

automatically against the air pressure trapped in said auxiliary tank after the supply of air to the latter has been cut off whereby the-air contained in said auxiliary tank is released into said fluid storage tank for agitating the fluid therein.

' tank from said storage tank, a discharge pas--- 3, In apparatus of thecharacter described,

means for admitting fluid tosaid auxiliary sage, leading from said auxiliary tank, means for supplying air to said auxiliary tank for forcing fluid through said discharg e'passage,

means for controlling the supply of air to said auxiliary tank, and means for releasing the air in said auxiliary tank directly into said storage tank for agitating the fluid the combination of, a fluid storage tank, an

auxiliary tank within said. storage tank,"

therein. V g I 4. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a fluid storage tank, a plurality of auxiliary tanks associated with said storage tank, means for admitting fluid to said auxiliary tanks from said storage tank, dischargepassages leading from said auxiliary tanks and communicating with 7 a common delivery passage, an air-supply line,

meanslfor delivering air into saidauxiliary -tanks from said supply line in succession for forcing fluid into said delivery passage,

means for releasing the air in said auxiliary been out ofl intosaid storage tank for agitating the fluid 'therein.

In apparatus of he character described, the combination of, a fluid storage tank, a

plurality of auxiliary tanks associated with I said: storagetank, means for admittingfluid to said auxiliary tanks from said storage tank, discharge passages leading from said auxiliary tanks and communicating with a common delivery passage, an air supply line having connections for delivering air into said tanks for forcing fluid into said delivery passage, a valve in each of said connections,

and continuously operating means for actuating the valves in succession. V

6. In apparatus of the character described,

the combination of, a fluid storage tank, a plurality of auxiliary tanks associated with said storage tank, means for admitting fluid tanks,aafter'fthe supply of air thereto has I to said auxiliary tanks from said storage tank, discharge passages leading from said auxiliary tanks and communicating with a common delivery passage, an airsupply; line having connections for delivering air into said tanks for forcing fluid therefrom in succession into said delivery passage, a chamber adapted to be supplied with fluid by said delivery passage, a passage communicating with said chamber for withdrawing fluid therefrom, and valve means for simultaneously controlling the supply of air to said tanks and the withdrawal of fluid from said chamber.

7 g 7 7 .In apparatus of the character described,

the combination of, a fluid storage tank, a

plurality of auxiliarytanks associated with said storage tank, means for admitting fluid to said auxiliary tanks fromsaid storage' tank, discharge j passages leading from said auxiliary tanks and communicating with a common delivery passage, an air supply line, means for delivering air into said auxiliary tanksfromsaid supplyv line in succession for V from, and a return passage leadingfrom said delivery passage whereby theexcess fluid is returned to said storage tank for agitating the fluid therein.

8. In apparatus of the character described,

means for admitting fluid to said auxiliary tank fromsaid storage tank, a delivery passage leading from said auxiliary tank,-an

air supply line for delivering air into said auxiliary tank for'foroing fluid through said delivery passage, a chamber associated with said delivery passage for Withdrawing fluid therefrom, the capacity of said chamber be-' ing less than the capacity of said auxiliary tank, means for returning the excess fluid to said storage tank whereby the fluid in said storage tank is agitated, valve means for controlling the supply of air to said auxiliary V tank, valve means for controlling the with drawal of fluid from said chamber, and actuating means common to both of said valve means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature; 7 V r i GEORGE W.- HOPKINS. 

